


If an expression of love is what you need to believe

by alterocentrist



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Continuation, F/F, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-27 05:11:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2680361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alterocentrist/pseuds/alterocentrist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The final battle and its immediate aftermath, from Carmilla's perspective.</p><p>Inspired by "One Day" by Opshop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If an expression of love is what you need to believe

This night could only end badly.

A pulse running up Carmilla’s right arm reminded her that she too, was taking part in this stupidity. She glanced down at the gleaming golden Blade of Hastur. Mother had warned her that wielding it would consume her, but so far it had only made Carmilla’s insides feel leaden. If she gritted her teeth, she should be able to do the job and not get annihilated in the process – by the sword, at least.

With her left hand, she pushed opened the door to the basement. She stepped inside and her boots sank into swampy ground. She swore. If this was the place where the cabal worshipped, then they should take a leaf out of the mortals’ books and actually treat it with respect.

“Carmilla,” a voice called out. “You’re here.”

It was pitch black, and her heightened sense of vision did not kick in because her strength, she noticed, was being sapped by the blade. She took a few careful steps along before a narrow beam from a flashlight shone on her torso.

“Carmilla.” It was Danny.

“You know, Xena, of all the things I could be doing on a Friday night, I didn’t expect to be collaborating with you to take down some ancient unspeakable evil,” Carmilla said.

“Well, desperate times called for desperate measures,” Danny retorted. “What’s up with the sword?”

“It’s our only way,” Carmilla responded.

Danny’s hand holding the flashlight moved, and the beam briefly illuminated a crowd of tall, athletic, grim-faced people, holding baseball bats and wooden planks, stakes tucked into their belts. The light flicked off again. “Sorry about the darkness,” the redhead said. “We don’t want to alert them to our presence.”

Carmilla snorted. Mother and her council were probably distracted, ripping new ones into Will and the other minions because they failed to deliver LaFontaine, but they were _vampires_. “I’m sure they already know we’re here, and the thought of that amuses them,” she told Danny. “They don’t need much to overpower us.”

Danny looked around. “Hmm, I don’t know,” she said. “We’ve got kerosene, we’ve got holy water, someone even stole wine from the tabernacle at the Catholic church in town. We’d prefer that this place go up in flames with us if it means that the ritual is stopped.”

“You’re a martyr, aren’t you, Big Red?”

Danny nodded at the sword. “So are you.”

“I probably am.” Carmilla’s senses strained to pick up Laura’s presence. “Where is –?”

The redhead understood her immediately. “Laura’s up the front with Perry and LaFontaine,” she replied. “They’ve had to bind and gag LaF up again, because of the noise, you know?” She paused. “So, what’s the plan?”

“What plan?”

“At the end of this basement is this big, solid wooden door, and LaFontaine starts going on about how the light is behind it, so I’m guessing that’s the cave tunnel described in the recording,” Danny said. “We just need a plan of attack.”

“LaFontaine needs to go first. That’s who they want.” Carmilla took a deep breath. “Then you lead your sisters and the Zetas in. Target the minions first, and then the council. Do not attack the Dean.” Her grip tightened on the sword. “She’s mine.”

“And the Hungry Light thing?”

“I’m theirs.” If the Light was still hungry, she would have to be sufficient.

Danny’s voice caught on her throat, “Laura’s gonna be –”

“I know,” Carmilla cut her off. “But she’d agree that shutting this whole thing down is more important.” She adjusted the sword in her hand. “I’ll be in the middle of the pack.” Stealth was key. “You got some kerosene going spare?”

Without another word, she felt Danny hand her a small bottle of the flammable liquid, and slide a box of matches in her pocket. “I’m gonna go tell everyone,” she said. And then Carmilla heard her walking away. A few moments later, her voice carried over the four hundred-strong crowd, relaying the strategy Carmilla had fed her.

It was time.

* * *

One of the younger minions was the first to go, staked by Perry, of all people. The Zetas and the Summer Society worked in smaller groups, ganging up on the members of the Dean’s council. And Laura, Perry at her heels, worked to free the other kidnapped girls (and Kirsch) from the chains that held them to the wall.

With the chaos around her, Carmilla took the opportunity to look around the cave. There were seats arranged in a circle around the centre, where there was a pit where a bright light glowed. That was where she needed to be.

A high pitched keening noise and a pungent smell alerted her to the Zetas and the Summer Society subduing a member of the Dean’s council and setting them alight. Carmilla’s skin crawled.

Everyone’s attention was also momentarily diverted to the burning vampire.

And that was when Laura spotted her. Her eyes flitted to the Blade of Hastur, menacing in Carmilla’s hands. She let go of the chains she had been fumbling to unfasten, and opened her mouth to yell something that Carmilla couldn’t hear above the commotion.

She raised her left hand to acknowledge her. “Hey, Cupcake.”

* * *

Mother stood regally by the pit of Light, still smugly observant as her council members and subordinates were overpowered by a bunch of teenagers. When Carmilla made her approach, she looked down at her and smirked. “ _Darling_ , I’m _so_ glad that you were able to make it! How does that blade feel?”

Heavy. The longer Carmilla held onto it, the more nauseous and lethargic she felt. But Mother didn’t deserve to know that. “Are you still going through with the sacrifice?” Carmilla asked her instead. “Your little friends are dying.”

“So long as I have the sacrifices, then the ritual can go on, my dear.” Her cold blue eyes watched Laura and Perry attempting to herd the bewildered abductees to safety. “They’re not going anywhere.”

Carmilla raised the sword in front of her. “Let them go, Mother.”

Mother laughed, but Carmilla noticed that her jaw tensed at the sight of the blade aiming at her chest. “Or what? Even if it kills me, you know that sword will kill you, too, Mircalla,” she said. “And then who would look after your little pet?”

“Laura!” Carmilla called over her shoulder. She knew it was unwise to look away, but she knew that Mother was wary of the sword and didn’t want to take any chances.

Laura’s head snapped to look at her.

“Run,” Carmilla said. “Run, and tell everyone else to go with you.”

“Carmilla.” Her name escaped as a sob from Laura’s mouth. “ _No_.”

“Laura, _please_.”

Mother cackled behind her.

It was Danny who managed to respond coherently, “We’re not done here yet!”

“Yes, we are,” Carmilla said. “Get out of here, and get out of here fast. Pour kerosene while you’re at it.”

“Your human fires will be no match for the power of this Light!” Mother taunted.

Carmilla turned back to Mother and thrusted the sword at her. A small part of her relished in pleasure at the backwards step the older vampire made. “Don’t listen to her. Just do as I say!” she yelled. “Go! Now!”

On Danny’s instructions, the crowd ran out of the cave.

“We don’t need to do this, Mircalla. We really don’t,” Mother said. “You’re a stupid, naive little girl, and I know you’re too selfish to sacrifice yourself. Put that sword down, sweetheart, and I’ll teach you how this all really works.”

Oh, she was tempted. She was so tempted. Mother had a way of enticing her to be drunk on power. The energy of the Blade of Hastur pulsed up her arms, and a metallic tang rose up her throat. Anything—even Mother’s sick, twisted embrace—would be better than this.

But images flashed in her mind. Of golden brown hair. Of eager eyes. Of a crooked smile. Then words echoed: _Even_ you _deserve better_. _Man, she gonna be_ so _done when you show up all righteous with that sword_! _And Carmilla, if you’re watching this…_ you know.

“I’m sorry, _Maman_ ,” Carmilla said. Darkness crept in the corners of her vision as she plunged the sword into her Mother’s chest.

* * *

She pushed Mother’s body—which disintegrated around the blade speared through her middle—into the Light. The sword no longer in her hands, Carmilla’s strength came back to her in increments. She watched the Light glow a sickly yellow before emitting an otherworldly scream that caused the cave walls to crumble.

The three surviving members of the Dean’s council rushed to exit the cave, but Carmilla mustered up enough power to incapacitate them. It weakened her once again. She poured out her kerosene bottle by the entrance of the cave. Lit one match and threw it inside. Lit another. Threw that one inside, too. And then the final match was for the pool of kerosene by her feet.

Flames licking up her ankles, she got the hell out of there.

The fire had consumed the stage and was beginning to make its way to the front row seats by the time Carmilla used the last of her strength to propel herself out of the Lustig. The smell of smoke began to thicken the air around her.

On the courtyard across the theatre, she fell on her knees and vomited until everything went black.

* * *

Carmilla’s eyes fluttered open. She was lying on the edge of the rubble that was the Lustig Theatre. Her limbs weighed a tonne, and she could taste rancid blood in the back of her throat. Looking up at the sky, she saw that it was a grey-blue slowly tainted with orange. It was almost sunrise.

Suddenly, a tall hooded figure loomed above her. They held the Blade of Hastur in a thick glass container.

Carmilla couldn’t see their eyes, let alone their face. She tried to crawl away.

“I mean no harm,” the hooded figure had a calming, crystalline voice. “I am from the Cult of Hastur. I was sent here to claim the Blade so it can be returned to its rightful place.”

“You’re not going to kill me then,” Carmilla rasped.

“Why would I? The Blade clearly believed that you are righteous. It only consumes those who wield it for greed or malice,” the figure told her. “You are a true heroine, and the Cult will regard you with utmost respect.”

“Oh.”

“Are you hurt?”

“It’s the sword. It made me feel weak.”

“The Blade draws its strength from the will of its wielder,” the figure explained. “You will get your strength back in a few days. Can I take you somewhere you can be? I don’t want to leave you lying here.” They glanced warily at the sky. “The sun is coming up.”

So this figure knew that she was a vampire. “I don’t –” Carmilla didn’t want anyone else to see her in this state. “I need to feed, but I don’t think I’m strong enough to walk to the forest. You know, if it’s not out of your way.”

“The forest it is, then.” The figure reached down to hoist her up over their shoulder. “Hold on tight.”

* * *

Even after draining two unsuspecting deer, Carmilla remained jelly-legged as she began the trek back to her dorm room. She was thankful for the overcast day. Sun was the last thing that her exhausted body needed.

She climbed the three flights of stairs to her dorm room. By the last few steps, she was practically dragging herself up by the handrail. Her ears pricked at the unusually condensed sounds of life coming from room 307. She limped down the hallway, as quickly as she could, and tried the doorknob. It was unlocked.

Trust Perry to keep her “no locks” policy in place even after just barely surviving a battle with evil supernatural creatures.

Carmilla opened the door and stepped inside, only to trip on… _Danny_?

“Okay, what the _hell_?” Danny said groggily as she awoke. Her jaw slackened upon seeing Carmilla.

“Long story.” Carmilla shrugged.

Perry woke up too—because _of course_ she would—and blinked rapidly when she saw Carmilla standing in the doorway. Then she nudged a snoring LaFontaine beside her. “Look! Look who’s here.”

“Uh.” Carmilla frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

There was a rustle of sheets, a squeak of mattress as Laura rose from behind the bookshelf that blocked the view of the door from her bed. Her bleary eyes welled up with tears. “Carmilla? Am I dreaming?” she asked. “This isn’t a dream, right?” Her shoulders began to shake as she sobbed.

“Laura, what’s wrong?” Carmilla wanted to be right next to her, but that would mean stepping over Danny, and Kirsch, who appeared to have a broken arm, and the two smaller redheads on the floor.

Perry seemed to read her cues. She placed a hand on LaFontaine’s arm. “I think we should go,” she said. “I have space in my dorm, and I think a couple of people can fit in my office as well.” The two of them roused Kirsch and the other girls.

Carmilla stepped aside as their sluggish bodies filed out of the dorm room. Danny gave her a relieved nod, Kirsch muttered a timid thanks, Perry touched her shoulder reassuringly, and LaFontaine, their eye badly bruised and lip split, managed to crack a smile.

“It’s good to see you again, Carmilla,” they said.

“You too, LaF.”

Betty, Natalie and Elsie—still visibly shaken from their ordeal—followed the others down the hallway. Laura did not move from her bed. Her eyes remained fixed on Carmilla. She was biting down on her lip, but her shoulders bobbed up and down, and she wheezed softly.

Carmilla shut the door behind them. Locked it for good measure. “Now, are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

“I thought –” Laura swallowed a sob. “I thought you were dead!”

Carmilla stood in the aisle between their beds. (Well, it was Betty’s bed again, but she would worry about that later.) “I _am_ dead, cupcake.”

“You know what I mean!” Laura exclaimed. “I thought I was never gonna see you again, you idiot! And you were with us there from the beginning and you didn’t even come and tell me… god, I should _hate_ you right now!”

“ _Hey_ , for the record, my plan worked.” Carmilla crinkled her nose in slight affront. “Due to dumb luck, most likely, but we’re both here, and so is everyone else.”

“No, you don’t understand, Carmilla. It’s not about that. I’m happy about that,” Laura said. Her gaze moved to her bedspread. “I… I just… I thought you were gone… I had so many things to say...  When we got back here, I just felt so…” Her hands shot out to grab either side of Carmilla’s waist, and pulled her in. And then her yearning lips were on Carmilla’s. She sobbed against Carmilla’s mouth, and broke the kiss to say: “You are so, _so_ stupid.”

And then she kissed her again.

Carmilla sighed happily as one of Laura’s hands slid up to stroke the back of her neck. She felt a joyful warmth spreading from her stomach, a salve for the aches from last night’s battle. She used her hands to bring her and Laura’s bodies right up against each other. Laura’s heart pounded against her chest, and for as long as this moment lasted, Carmilla was convinced that she too, _lived_.

After an eternity, their lips separated. Tears flowed down Laura’s cheeks, but she was grinning. She shifted her hand so that her thumb could stroke Carmilla’s jaw. “Hey Carm,” she said softly. “I –”

But Carmilla placed a gentle finger on Laura’s lips. “I know, Laura. _I know_ ,” she whispered back. “Me too.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is relatively short by my standards, but it was a beast to write, especially when I wanted to post it before Episode 35 came out. I strongly recommend listening to the song while reading it :)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!


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